Heading Home
by badly-knitted
Summary: After a short break enjoying the fall color in New England, Dee and Ryo have to head home to New York. Sequel to 'Fall Color'. Written for Challenge 67: Weather at fan flashworks.


**Title:** Heading Home – Follows 'Fall Color'

**Author:** badly-knitted

**Characters:** Ryo, Dee.

**Rating:** G

**Setting:** After Vol. 7.

**Summary:** After a short break enjoying the fall color in New England, Dee and Ryo have to head home to New York.

**Word Count:** 834

**Content Notes:** None needed.

**Written For: **Challenge 243:Amnesty at fan_flashworks, usingChallenge 67: Weather.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

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The weather had changed abruptly from warm sunshine to a depressingly grey overcast, with a persistent cold drizzle. It was a miserable turn of events on what had seemed that morning to be a beautiful autumn day. Ryo supposed it was fortunate that the rain had held off until they were on their way home; at least they weren't out in it. Still, it was that annoying rain, the kind where it wasn't coming down hard enough to require the windshield wipers going all the time and he seemed to be forever turning them on and off. One of the downsides of an older model car was that the wipers only had two settings, one too slow to do much good and the other faster than needed. He really wished the rain would make up its mind and either come down harder or stop altogether.

Heading home after a few days away was always a downer, knowing he'd be back at work in the morning, nose to the grindstone, shoulder to the wheel. The dreary weather just made it worse. On the other hand, if it had stayed fine and sunny he would've been regretting having to leave when he could have been out hiking, taking more photographs, and relishing the fresh, clean woodland air…

Dee stirred in the passenger seat. "You're bein' kinda quiet. Penny for your thoughts?"

"Just wishing the weather would make up its mind," Ryo replied, flicking the windshield wipers on yet again, and then off less than a minute later.

"Sky looks brighter off to the west; with any luck the rain will stop soon. Hey, there's a diner up ahead; wanna stop for coffee? By the time we come out, the sun might be shinin'."

Coffee sounded good. "Why not?" Ryo flicked the indicator on and pulled into the diner's forecourt. "Beats playing on again off again with the wipers." He found a parking space not too far from the building and the two men hustled through the drizzle, pushing the door open and stepping into a long, low room, filled with the tempting aromas of coffee, hot food, and freshly baked pastries.

Dee sniffed the air appreciatively and his stomach rumbled. "Man, I'm starving!"

"We had lunch before we left!"

"That was nearly three hours ago!" Dee protested.

"You're as bad as Bikky, forever hungry," Ryo teased his lover.

"In case you're forgettin', we went on a ten mile hike this mornin', and lunch wasn't much more than a snack because you wanted to get on the road."

"We were later starting out than I'd planned. I was hoping to beat the worst of the traffic."

"We're headin' for New York, babe; heavy traffic is a given, whatever time we get there."

"I suppose you're right."

"Sure I am. C'mon, let's eat." Dee led the way to a vacant table and they sat, picking up menus.

Ryo was getting hungry now too, thanks to the mouth-watering aromas, and ordered a toasted ham and cheese sandwich, while Dee went for the all day breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs, beans, and hash browns, with toast on the side, digging in as if he hadn't eaten for a week. Both meals came with a cup of coffee, and unlimited refills.

By the time they'd finished eating and downed three coffees each, then freshened up in the restroom, the rain had stopped, the sky had cleared, and the parking lot was practically dry, gently steaming in the warm sunshine.

"What did I tell ya?" Dee asked, grinning as he held out his hand for the keys; it was his turn to drive.

Ryo smiled wistfully as he tossed the keys to his partner. "I just wish we didn't have to go home; three days really wasn't long enough, and it seems such a shame having to head back to the city when the weather's like this."

"A little while ago you were complainin' about the rain, and now you're complainin' that it's NOT rainin'?"

"Not complaining," Ryo corrected, "just sorry that our vacation is over. I wish we could've stayed longer; I had such a great time."

"Yeah, me too," Dee agreed, "but there's always next year. Maybe if we handle things right we could swing an extra couple of days. Five would be better than three."

"That would be good, as long as the weather cooperates next year." Ryo slid into the passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt as Dee climbed behind the wheel.

"That's settled then." Firing up the engine, Dee pulled back out onto the road; they still had a long drive ahead of them but now the sun was shining and they wound down the car windows, letting the warm breeze blow through, ruffling their hair. "'Sides, it's not like the fun's over for the year. Halloween's next, then Thanksgiving, and then Christmas…"

Ryo laughed; Dee was right. Every vacation had to come to an end eventually, but there was always something else to look forward to.

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The End


End file.
